Game Guide: Zerg: Nydus Worm

The nydus worm serves as a quick transport link from one location to another. The worm needs at least two anchoring points – entrance and exit nodes – but once both have been set, the zerg forces can travel both ways. Nydus worms behave similarly to other transports such as the overlord or medivac - you load units into the worm, choose an exit location anywhere you can see, and unload your units from that exit. Remember, you only need one nydus canal, the “entrance,” but from there you can build any number of worms as “exits.”

Nydus worms provide zerg armies with the ability to near-instantly travel from one location to another, allowing them to quickly defend or invade before an enemy can react. Nydus worms also spread creep where ever they erupt.

Units inside of a nydus worm will live even if the worm is destroyed.

Escape!

If an enemy is guarding an exit to your base or blocking you in a specific area, you can use a nydus worm to escape. Simply send an overlord to ‘spot’ the location where you’d like to create your nydus worm.

Expand to Islands

You can travel to an island area of a map without using a transport by sending an overlord to the island, and then creating a nydus worm.

Travel Instantly

Often times it’s too dangerous or too time-consuming to move across the map the normal way. If you need to set up your army in a key position or transfer workers to a fresh expansion, consider using a nydus worm instead. It’s costly, but it ensures that your units arrive at their destination safely.

Invade Enemy Bases

Sneak a nydus worm into an enemy base - then send in the swarm! Try to build it outside of your enemies’ field of vision, so that they’re only alerted to your presence when the alert sounds. If you bring a queen with your army, you can drop a creep tumor to inconvenience your opponent even more and set up a staging area for your army.